Thanks to Rokossovsky's support, not only did the 21st Army provide 200 trucks to Sokov, but even the infantry army living in the northeast also handed over 60 trucks under its name to Sokov.
Cove.
The 124th Guards Infantry Regiment, which had been completed long ago, began to board the trucks one after another as soon as the trucks arrived. 260 trucks sounded like a lot, but in the end they only carried 4,000 commanders and their weapons and equipment. After the loading was completed
, the mighty convoy marched towards the town of Halqisk at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour.
This battle was of great importance, and Sokov could not stay in his headquarters, so he handed over the command to Vitkov, and he rode in an armored vehicle and moved with the 124th Regiment.
Halfway through, Starcha and Belkin also got into the armored vehicle and commanded the troops together with Sokov. Sokov asked: "Do you have any information about your regiment's activity group behind enemy lines?"
"Yes." Belkin answered first: "According to the report of the activity group that sneaked into the city, the German army had a regiment in Donetsk, but this regiment was severely weakened after the battle.
The regiment leader, Lieutenant Colonel Federman, was also wounded in the battle and lay in his headquarters every day, rarely leaving the house."
"Oh, the infantry regiment has been severely weakened." After listening to Belkin's report, Sokov couldn't help but his eyes lit up: "Then have you figured out how many enemies there are?"
"More than five hundred people." After Bergin finished speaking, he realized that his expression was not clear enough, and added: "To be precise, among the more than two thousand defenders in the city, there are only more than five hundred Germans, and the rest are
It's the Romanian and Italian troops."
For Sokov, the Romanian army and the Italian army are just clouds, with no combat effectiveness at all. One of his own companies can defeat the opponent's battalion. He is deeply afraid that the deployment of troops in the city may be different from what he has mastered in advance.
There were discrepancies, so he quickly asked: "Then, have you figured out the distribution of the enemy's forces?"
"It's clear," Colonel Starcha answered this time. He pointed to the map spread out on Sokov's knees and said to him: "There is a German company to the east of the city, with about a hundred people, and another
It is a Romanian battalion. The position consists of two fronts. The Romanian troops hold the front position, and the Germans are behind."
There are only more than 600 troops deployed to the east. It is very difficult to block the attack of 4,000 troops with high morale. Moreover, the first line of defense is still defended by the Romanian army with low combat effectiveness. Let alone a sneak attack, even if it is
A strong attack can also easily break through the enemy's defense.
Sokov had a good idea of the direction to break through the enemy, but he wanted to hear Starcha's thoughts, so he asked: "Comrade Colonel, tell me, you plan to destroy the enemy in front of you."
"Comrade Division Commander," Starcha quickly replied: "Since we do not have artillery and tanks accompanying us, before attacking, I want to use the new rockets I carry to cover the enemy's positions with firepower. After two groups have been exploded,
After that, it is estimated that there will be no living people on the position, and then our regiment will be able to launch a full-scale attack."
Regarding Starcha's reply, Sokov's heart ached. Even though there are a lot of new rockets equipped with troops nowadays, they are not wasted like this. Covering the German positions with firepower is pretty good.
Easy, but if the enemy retreats to the second line of defense before being bombarded, wouldn't all those rockets be wasted?
Sokov did not answer, but looked at Belkin and continued to ask: "What about you, my comrade political commissar, what do you think?"
Belkin has been working with Sokov for almost a year, and he naturally knows Sokov's character very well. He knows that Starcha's method is the traditional method of the Soviet army. But this kind of tactics is obviously
Unable to satisfy Sokov, he quickly said: "I think we should use sneak attack tactics, sneak up on the enemy's position, and then use hand-to-hand combat to eliminate the enemies hiding in the fortifications."
Seeing that Belkin understood his intention, Sokov put a smile on his face again. He also emphasized: "If the Romanian army is defeated, they will definitely flee to the German positions. In this case
At that time, our soldiers should stop shooting at them."
"Don't shoot at the Romanian soldiers?" Starcia had a look of astonishment on his face: "Comrade division commander, why on earth is this?"
"Comrade commander, haven't you understood what the division commander means?" Belgin explained to Starcia: "We can follow the fleeing Romanian soldiers and rush towards the German positions. The Germans find our people
Following the Romanian soldiers, in order to protect themselves, they had to shoot at the Romanian army. In this way, there would be a firefight between the two sides, and our officers and soldiers could take the opportunity to rush into the enemy's position."
"It turns out that the battle can still be fought like this." After listening to Belgin's explanation, Starcha's face showed a look of realization: "Then when we arrive in the town later, I will convey the order to the soldiers."
"Also," Sokov said to Starcha, "remember to leave troops behind for defense in the town, lest the Germans steal our retreat."
"Don't worry, comrade division commander." Starcha assured Sokov: "I will leave the most elite troops to defend the town, and I will never let the Germans have a chance to approach the town."
After the commanders and fighters of the 124th Regiment arrived in the town, they rested on the spot for half an hour, ate something and drank some water, and then continued to move in the direction of Donetsk.
At one o'clock in the morning, Sokov, who was staying in the town, received a call from Starcha: "Comrade division commander, the soldier at the front of our regiment is only fifty meters away from the enemy, and he can even hear him sneezing.
"
"How alert is the enemy?"
"I observed for a while and only found a few sentries. As for whether there are hidden sentries, I don't know." After Starcha finished his report, he specifically asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade division commander, I don't know when we will start.
attack?"
"Since the enemy's vigilance is not high, then quickly send soldiers to touch it." Sokov said into the microphone: "As long as we kill the sentry, our people can easily enter the city without being noticed.
.”
"Understood." Starcia quickly replied: "I immediately ordered the commanders and fighters of the first battalion to quietly touch the enemy's position and eliminate them all in their sleep."
"Colonel Starcha," the battle was about to start. It was not convenient for Sokov to jump over the command, so he said to Starcha: "I wish you good luck!"
